How much should professional athletes make?

[sparks19]

schools should start getting corporate sponsors to bring in extra funds....


"Snap, Crackle and Pop middle school"

"The Toucan Sam Library"

"8th grade algebra, brought to you by Reebok.... also sponsored by Lipton iced tea"


and of course, we'd have to set up grandstands in every classroom, so fans could pay for a ticket, pile in the stands and cheer/boo/heckle the teachers as they tried to do their jobs.

First of all... this post....

Second of all... I love your user name. Homer rocks lol.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Tax dollars aren't paying for professional athletes.

If the amount they make, makes you sick, boycott the sport by not attending, not watching on TV and not buying the merchandise. If everyone did this, salaries would drop. It's supply and demand, market driven.

Like anything, they should make what the market demands. These are private business that make A LOT of money. The athletes are getting their fair share. As long as people wants these sports, and are willing to pay the prices they pay, then the business should pay it in salaries accordingly.

Now, if people have an issue, stop paying the money to go to sporting events. Don't condemn the athletes and owners for their money, get on the patrons who pay into it. Lets not forget the amount of charity athletes, sports teams and associations do for their communities.

^This

This also.

 

[goofy4prez]

You may also want to look at the time *good* teachers spend in the summer getting their masters (at their own expense), going to workshops and certification classes, and preparing lessons/classrooms/etc. for the school year.

Also, in my school district teachers do not get ANY money for classroom supplies. They spend their own. My SIL and one of my good friends are teachers, they spend several hundred dollars a semester getting supplies for the classroom. Professional athletes are given state of the art facilities to work out in, trainers to help in the off season, heck, even free shoes and equipment if they have endorsement deals.

I agree very few people have the talent to be professional athletes. I also think very few people have the talent and dedication to be professional educators. I believe we would attract them to the profession if the salary was more in line with what they do. I'm sure there are many consultants, salespeople, corporate trainers, etc. who would make fantastic teachers but cannot afford to take a cut in pay to do so. If the salaries were better we might be able to attract to attract "the better players," so to speak.

Please do not take this as a flame to teachers. My mother was a school teacher and so was my uncle, I know what they went through. I appreciate the job a teacher does. It is hard, it is difficult, and yes it is very demanding. And if you are a teacher, I appreciate what you do. But the same can be said of many jobs.

I don't know what the teachers make in your state, but in Ohio they are compensated very well. The average salary of a teacher in the State of Ohio is $51,343 per year. In the county where Cleveland is located the average salary is $62,575. In the county where Columbus is located the average salary is $61,569. And the county where Cincinnati is located the average salary is $60,523. In addition, they pay far less into their pensions than most workers do in their 401k. (the governor is trying to attack this one though with cuts).

I personally do not feel these salaries are low and underpaid. Granted these are in major metropolitan areas and the salaries will be higher than rural areas in the state. Either way, every salary in every district in Ohio well exceeds the medium household income of the communities in which the teachers work. In Ohio, these salaries will lead to a comfortable lifestyle and if a two income family as most are, a very comfortable lifestyle will be enjoyed.

Now I also understand this is not the case in all states. I have a friend who teaches school in another state which I'll leave unnamed and he barely makes $34,000 where he lives. So perhaps in many states the salaries are not fair. But here in Ohio, a teachers salary IMHO is a very good one.

 

[DaParkers]

That is not the case in every city though. Each city has different deals. And the taxpayers STILL lost money in that equation. They spent $343 million to have a $250 million impact. That $343 million doesn't even take into account the millions the city paid for additional services to host the Super Bowl, or to win a Super Bowl bid.

That $250 million is only for that one game. They've also hosted the NBA All Star weekend and Lord knows what else. Not to mention every home game for the Cowboys. I'm pretty sure that they've made more than $250 million. I'm not saying that I think an athlete is worth paying $100 million, but it doesn't bother me if he does. Actors and musical artists make a lot also. None of that has anything to do with teacher, police, firefighter, or military salaries though. The same people that complain about their salaries are the ones supporting them. Everyone supports an ultra rich person in some form. Whether it's going to a game, a movie, a concert, or buying an Iphone, we'll all guilty of it.

 

[goofy4prez]

I agree that the free enterprise supply & demand is what lets them make so much. I would have no problem with the fortunes the owners & players make if they would just build & maintain their venues, too. At least movie & TV stars & production companies don't get so much public funding for their ventures.

I have to agree with you 100% on this. They want to make their money, fine. But build your own stadium. Here in Cleveland tax payers have paid for the football stadium, the baseball stadium, and the basketball arena all with tax dollars.

And for that, not a single one of our professional (use the word loosely)teams has been able to produce a championship since the year I was born, 1964. Come on all ready.

 

[sparks19]

It became my business when the owner of the team asked for billions of dollars for a new stadium at taxpayer expense for "his" business.

I can understand this. our Governor (at the time) was Fast Eddie Rendell and he pushed and pushed for CAsinos saying that if they allowed the casinos to be built he could do away with property taxes or at least significantly lower it. People agreed to let the Casinos go in

what happened next was not lowering property taxes... it was funding a new Peguins arena in Pittsburg. I'm not happy about that. Mostly because he pulled the wool over everyone's eyes promising lower property taxes to get his way and then when he got his way we all got the shaft.

but I also realize that is a problem with the politicians who allow that to come out of tax payer money. it's certainly not the athletes fault.

AND I also realize how much money that brings in to stimulate the economy as well.

 

[focusondisney]

And for that, not a single one of our professional (use the word loosely)teams has been able to produce a championship since the year I was born, 1964. Come on all ready.

Same story in Buffalo!


Buuuuttttt, the Sabres have a brand new owner as of Tuesday. A very nice billionaire who is a long time fan. He & his family seem so nice & genuine. He is promising to do what it takes (& spend his own money) to bring the Stanley Cup to Buffalo!!

 

[DaParkers]

It became my business when the owner of the team asked for billions of dollars for a new stadium at taxpayer expense for "his" business.

Just out of curiosity. Who are you referring to and what stadium will cost billions? That is unfair.

 

[Donaldswife]

Please do not take this as a flame to teachers. My mother was a school teacher and so was my uncle, I know what they went through. I appreciate the job a teacher does. It is hard, it is difficult, and yes it is very demanding. And if you are a teacher, I appreciate what you do. But the same can be said of many jobs.

I don't know what the teachers make in your state, but in Ohio they are compensated very well. The average salary of a teacher in the State of Ohio is $51,343 per year. In the county where Cleveland is located the average salary is $62,575. In the county where Columbus is located the average salary is $61,569. And the county where Cincinnati is located the average salary is $60,523. In addition, they pay far less into their pensions than most workers do in their 401k. (the governor is trying to attack this one though with cuts).

I personally do not feel these salaries are low and underpaid. Granted these are in major metropolitan areas and the salaries will be higher than rural areas in the state. Either way, every salary in every district in Ohio well exceeds the medium household income of the communities in which the teachers work. In Ohio, these salaries will lead to a comfortable lifestyle and if a two income family as most are, a very comfortable lifestyle will be enjoyed.

Now I also understand this is not the case in all states. I have a friend who teaches school in another state which I'll leave unnamed and he barely makes $34,000 where he lives. So perhaps in many states the salaries are not fair. But here in Ohio, a teachers salary IMHO is a very good one.

I do not take it as a flame at at! BTW, I am not a teacher. You would have to pay me millions to want to do that! Seriously. I do have two SIL's, both their mothers, and two friends who are teachers though, and I know what they have to do every day, and what kind of compensation and benefits they are getting and not getting.

I live in Indiana, so not far from Ohio. While the statistics you are quoting are accurate I'm sure, and the stats in Indiana are probably not too far off (as well as the cost of living), I still think as professionals teachers should be paid more. I think we need to look beyone the COL and median salaries (which take into account a lot of laborers without higher education, which is a good chunk of the population here in the midwest) and compare the median salaries of what other highly educated professionals make. I do not have those stats, but I do know all my friends and family who have other Masters degrees make $125,000 + per year, while the teachers may make $60,000. IMO that is too great a disparity. I believe if we evened the playing field a little more, we might attract more people to the teaching profession and have a better pool of applicants to choose from.

 

[luvmy3]

It became my business when the owner of the team asked for billions of dollars for a new stadium at taxpayer expense for "his" business.

Depending on what the creation of the stadium did for the local tax base, or the jobs it created or the revenue it brings in for other local businesses, I wouldn't have a problem with that. You do need to spend money to make money. The difference with using our tax dollars for something like this is that those tax dollars come back to us in a way. Our tax dollars for education don't, the problems just get bigger and they want more tax dollars to fix them.

 

[sparks19]

Same story in Buffalo!


Buuuuttttt, the Sabres have a brand new owner as of Tuesday. A very nice billionaire who is a long time fan. He & his family seem so nice & genuine. He is promising to do what it takes (& spend his own money) to bring the Stanley Cup to Buffalo!!

Oh my husband and you would be fast friends lol. he is a long time SAbres fan (I am a diehard Habs fan so when we play each other it's a battle Royale in our house haha) and he is THRILLED with the new owner.

Like my hubby said most owners do like the game but their main goal is to make money. THIS guy however LOVES the game and LOVES the sabres and it's a family venture and while he doesn't want to lose money... he much more wants them to WIN

 

[daughtersrus]

Tax dollars aren't paying for professional athletes.

Many of the stadiums are funded with tax dollars and given tax breaks. If they weren't, it's likely that the athletes would be making less money because the owner's would have less.

Why? The cities that help pay for these stadiums choose to do so. The taxpayers are not made to pay for it, it is voted on. Let's not forget the economic impact that a lot of these teams have on their city. Most help bring in a large amount of money. I know the Saints are a huge boost to our economy.

I don't think that is accurate. When do the taxpayers vote on funding stadiums or giving them tax breaks?

That $250 million is only for that one game. They've also hosted the NBA All Star weekend and Lord knows what else. Not to mention every home game for the Cowboys. I'm pretty sure that they've made more than $250 million. I'm not saying that I think an athlete is worth paying $100 million, but it doesn't bother me if he does. Actors and musical artists make a lot also. None of that has anything to do with teacher, police, firefighter, or military salaries though. The same people that complain about their salaries are the ones supporting them. Everyone supports an ultra rich person in some form. Whether it's going to a game, a movie, a concert, or buying an Iphone, we'll all guilty of it.

There are plenty of businesses that bring money to an area, like Disney World for example. Are they built with taxpayer money? How about movies studios? Are they funded by the taxpayers?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I am a horse racing fan. My professional athletes only make money if they finish in the top 5 of a race. Everyone else gets nothing. The jockeys get a percentage of their mount's cut. The trainers get a percentage of their charge's cut. And everyone else who works around them (grooms, exercise riders, etc.)gets paid according to the trainer's fortunes.

I've always wondered what would happen in other sports (football, baseball) if the players only got paid when they deserved it.

 

[focusondisney]

Oh my husband and you would be fast friends lol. he is a long time SAbres fan (I am a diehard Habs fan so when we play each other it's a battle Royale in our house haha) and he is THRILLED with the new owner.

Like my hubby said most owners do like the game but their main goal is to make money. THIS guy however LOVES the game and LOVES the sabres and it's a family venture and while he doesn't want to lose money... he much more wants them to WIN

I like your DH already!!


We're going to the game tonight, I can't wait!! I haven't stopped smiling since the press conference on Tuesday.

 

[Donaldswife]

Just out of curiosity. Who are you referring to and what stadium will cost billions? That is unfair.

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy, where I live.

Cost of stadium $750 million, owner only had to cover 13% and got that paid for by selling the naming rights to Lucas Oil so his OOP was $0. Operating expenses are covered by our CIB at $20 million per year, while revenues are only $7 million, the rest being covered by tax reserve funds. That's $652 million covered by taxpayers, plus $13 million (or more with ever continuing energy price increases) a year. Also, tax money paid to break the lease on the old RCA dome was $48 million & $70 million to pay off the debt still owed on the old RCA dome at the time it was demolished.

All because the owner threatened to move the team without a new stadium, and city officials salivating at the chance to host the 2012 Super Bowl, which may very well not happen.

 

[FireDancer]

How much athletes make is and should be dependent on the free market. Just like any of us who aren't paid by tax dollars the only limit should be what our bosses are willing to pay us. As for why they make more than teachers, policemen, firemen, and just about any of us working schmucks that is easy. If television networks were willing to pay billions of dollars to televise them working or people would pay to sit in the bleachers and watch them work they would make just as much.

Stadiums being paid for by tax dollars has nothing to do with how much they make. The cities have just as much to gain from a pro team being in their city as the teams do since all those people coming into the games are generating tax revenue. Here, all the stadium funding bills were put on the ballot and voted on. The Indians and Cavs stadium/arena were paid for mostly with a sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol so it was easy to avoid paying for either, just don't buy those things in Cuyahoga county.

A lot of buildings are at least partially paid for by tax dollars, either directly or through tax abatements or breaks, and the private companies that work out of those wholly or partially publicly funded buildings are not beholden to the government when it comes to their employee compensation.

As long as I'm not paying the salary through my taxes what anyone else makes doesn't matter at all to me, even if they are paid millions of dollars to do what is basically an unnecessary function in society.

 

[Donaldswife]

There are plenty of businesses that bring money to an area, like Disney World for example. Are they built with taxpayer money? How about movies studios? Are they funded by the taxpayers?[/QUOTE]


Exactly

 

[goofy4prez]

Oh my husband and you would be fast friends lol. he is a long time SAbres fan (I am a diehard Habs fan so when we play each other it's a battle Royale in our house haha) and he is THRILLED with the new owner.

Like my hubby said most owners do like the game but their main goal is to make money. THIS guy however LOVES the game and LOVES the sabres and it's a family venture and while he doesn't want to lose money... he much more wants them to WIN

I hope this truly happens for you fans of the Sabres. We in Cleveland heard the same, "I am a fan and will do all I can to bring a championship." This is what the owner of the Indians said in 99 when he bought the team. We heard the same thing with the Cavs and when he had the best player in the world (also the biggest idiot) and he couldn't win it. And the same story with the Browns. Ohh well, we in Cleveland can feel for you Buffalo fans.

 

[Melmac]

It became my business when the owner of the team asked for billions of dollars for a new stadium at taxpayer expense for "his" business.

Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy, where I live.

All because the owner threatened to move the team without a new stadium, and city officials salivating at the chance to host the 2012 Super Bowl, which may very well not happen.

I hope this doesn't come across as snarky, because it is not meant to be at all. I am just curious on whether you would have preferred the Colts to move to a different city than use your tax dollars to help pay for their new stadium?

 

[goofy4prez]

Stadiums being paid for by tax dollars has nothing to do with how much they make. The cities have just as much to gain from a pro team being in their city as the teams do since all those people coming into the games are generating tax revenue. Here, all the stadium funding bills were put on the ballot and voted on. The Indians and Cavs stadium/arena were paid for mostly with a sin tax on cigarettes and alcohol so it was easy to avoid paying for either, just don't buy those things in Cuyahoga county.

Being from N.E. Ohio I remember the sin tax they put on the Gateway (as it was called then) project. Back in my younger drinking days I sure helped build that thing. I would gladly pay even more taxes today just to see one of our teams win a championship in my lifetime. The sand is getting smaller in my hourglass (47 years) and it don't look like any teams in Cleveland being competitive for some time let alone championship caliber.